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Born in Sydney, grew up in Toowoomba, live in Brisbane. Happy to be married to Vincent, with three mostly grown children: Renata, Tristan and Dylan. My home has a big outdoor deck overlooking a mango tree and, somewhere in the distance, Moreton Island. I sing, mostly in Church, and am part of a small but very good choir. I love my family, God, living in the lucky country and being part of a community, big and small.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Respect: Flying the flag

Is it just me, or is there a strange new phenomenon on the streets this Australia Day? There are mini Australian flags flying out of car windows. There are flags draped ingloriously on the front of people's house, often upside down and/or sideways. What are these people trying to tell me?

I often get annoyed in morning traffic as we pass a prominent car dealership, which flies the Australian flag on a large flagpole. Trouble is, the flag is so weather-beaten that only two stars remain in the Southern Cross. Hardly respectful.

I don't have to have served in the millitary to know that most of the flags I see flying today are not being flown correctly. What's more, I suspect that most of the flags flying out of car windows are made in China. If you fly a flag out of your Kia Carnival or Toyota Hi-lux, are you more patriotic than me not flying a flag out of my Ford Falcon? None of us are looking after Australian jobs here.

Yes, brave people fought and died for Australia, under that flag, but ill use does not equal respect or pride. Besides which, is the flag, or the lamb-chop, really what Australia Day is all about?

I started my Australia Day with a walk and a prayer, thankful for what truly is the lucky country, and the people who led us thus far, and praying for leadership to take us forward through difficult times ahead. After that, barbeque breakfast, OF COURSE! And later, another barbeque for dinner, but since the butcher was out of lamb chops by the time I got there, pork chops will have to do. I'm sure the pig was true-blue Aussie as well.

Clue to marketing gurus: next year develop a 'branding' iron that will sear an image of the flag onto the meat. You can have that one for free.